Unreliable passanger assistance

[gingerheid]

I booked a return journey from Scotland to Oxford for my mother, with passenger assistance, the first time she has had to use this.

No assistance turned up at Crewe for the connection on the way down, at Wolverhampton for the connection on the way back up, or on arrival back in Scotland. She managed to find someone in Oxford to make them help her, but they clearly weren't expecting her.

Should she have been expecting this? Is assistance that unreliable? Is there any way of checking that they're remembering about you?

 

[Michael.Y]

Nothing to comment about Crewe or Wolves (other than they're Virgin stations obv) but Manchester Piccadilly is also unreliable.

 

[YorkshireRider]

Yeah its a pretty regular event unfortunatley, if possiable ask the guard or a member of train crew to phone forward, if there is no record of the booking then they can take the name of the person and where they are seated and pass this on to the station staff.

 

[dvboy]

Definitely worth complaining to VT about.

 

[GadgetMan]

As posted above, your mum's experience is pretty normal unfortunately. It's best to advise the guard if you are booked assistance. That way not only can we ring ahead and ensure stations are aware, but if no assistance turns up, we know not to depart with said passenger still on board and therefore avoid overcarrying them. Where possible, I try and release the doors from a panel closest to the passenger requiring assistance, so I can help them off and personally hand them over to assisting staff to avoid delays. I'm sure most other guards do the same. Although there are a significant number who's attitude goes along the lines of 'it's not my problem so I'll just release the doors then lock them back up and buzz buzz. If they get overcarried it'll be someone else's fault.'

I find the best stations are the small ones with one/two members of staff as the message doesn't get lost in transit that way.

 

[Bellwater]

but Manchester Piccadilly is also unreliable.

The worst of the lot. it's meant to be Network Rail's Job but they're hardly around so it falls to the Northern Platform Staff or Traincrew to do it.

On the other hand, Norwich are Fantastic(considering they've barely any platform staff there!)

 

[AlterEgo]

I booked a return journey from Scotland to Oxford for my mother, with passenger assistance, the first time she has had to use this.

No assistance turned up at Crewe for the connection on the way down, at Wolverhampton for the connection on the way back up, or on arrival back in Scotland. She managed to find someone in Oxford to make them help her, but they clearly weren't expecting her.

Should she have been expecting this? Is assistance that unreliable? Is there any way of checking that they're remembering about you?

Whom did you book passenger assistance with? (There are a few different channels who will organise it)

You should complain - to the people who organised the assistance. They will investigate on your behalf. It is definitely worth your while complaining. Assistance of disabled or vulnerable passengers is a top priority for the railway. Every TOC is now required to have a Disabled Persons' Protection Policy (DPPP). Purely as an example, the DPPP for East Coast is here:

http://www.eastcoast.co.uk/Documents/16%20-%20DPPP_online.pdf

The contents of the DPPP are pretty much the same whatever the TOC.

 

[Greenback]

It is definitely worth a complaint. Sadly, in my day it was not uncommon that booekd assistance was not provided, usually because staff were overstretched, and unable to be in two places at a time. Also, sometimes, the messages simply did not get through due to technology issues. I would hope the latter is rarer these days!

 

[barrykas]

The worst of the lot. it's meant to be Network Rail's Job but they're hardly around so it falls to the Northern Platform Staff or Traincrew to do it.

Never had any issues with assistance at Piccadilly...Though I've always booked it myself through Journey Planner (formerly RJIS) when friends and family have needed it. Always been met at the train side on arrival and had the Customer Assistance guy come up to the First Lounge heading back.

Cheers,

Barry

 

[O L Leigh]

Unreliable passengers do not deserve assistance.

Or have I misunderstood the title of this thread...? Oops!!

O L Leigh

 

[222007]

I have previously helped a couple of passengers at Birmingham new street when booked assistance never turned up the first was a blind gent who i assisted up to the front of the station from where he continued on and the second was an elderly lady who i stayed with for close to 25mins and then made sure she got a seat and put her luggage where she could see it, a very nice letter arrived a few days later which was nice.

I'm sorry to say i'm never surprised when it does not turn up as booked.

 

[Ferret]

I booked a return journey from Scotland to Oxford for my mother, with passenger assistance, the first time she has had to use this.

No assistance turned up at Crewe for the connection on the way down, at Wolverhampton for the connection on the way back up, or on arrival back in Scotland. She managed to find someone in Oxford to make them help her, but they clearly weren't expecting her.

Should she have been expecting this? Is assistance that unreliable? Is there any way of checking that they're remembering about you?

It never hurts to get the Guard to ring ahead to the next station to issue a gentle reminder I do this for pax all the time, and dress it up as trying to be helpful to the station by saying 'Mrs Jones is in coach F which is at the rear of the train'.

 

[gingerheid]

Thanks for the advice - will pass it on!

My mum is in the doubly unfortunate position of being ill but also looking 15 years younger than her age and as fit as a fiddle, so she'd wondering if they decided to not bother about her.

 

[Ferret]

Thanks for the advice - will pass it on!

My mum is in the doubly unfortunate position of being ill but also looking 15 years younger than her age and as fit as a fiddle, so she'd wondering if they decided to not bother about her.

It'll be cock-up rather than conspiracy I suspect. Unfortunately it happens, but we all wish it didn't!

 

[Aictos]

It never hurts to get the Guard to ring ahead to the next station to issue a gentle reminder I do this for pax all the time, and dress it up as trying to be helpful to the station by saying 'Mrs Jones is in coach F which is at the rear of the train'.

Same here, however I also include a seat number if it's a East Coast service or if it's a FCC then the location of the passenger's from the driver in the direction of travel.